Dear Friends,
Welcome to my December news update with the pick of the most interesting stories in health and wellbeing over the last month. Please explore these new findings and be sure to share them with your friends, families and colleagues.
With warmest good wishes, – Dr Rosy Daniel
A Tobacco-free Generation
New Zealand plans to outlaw tobacco sales to citizens born after 2008
New Zealand will become the first country in the world to implement a “tobacco-free generation” policy, its government has announced, by banning all sales of tobacco from next year to anyone born after 2008. The legislation is expected to pass next year, and when it does anyone not yet aged 14 will become ineligible for the rest of their lives to buy tobacco in New Zealand. “As they age, they and future generations will never be legally able to purchase tobacco,” announced associate minister of health Ayesha Verrall, who is a physician and tuberculosis expert. “Because the truth is, there is no safe age to start smoking.”
Read the full Article by the BMJ here
Mental Health & Human Resilience
The neurobiology of resilience – Professor David Peters
Neuroscience makes possible a new understanding of human nature. The practice of medicine is particularly stressful, and neuroscience helps explain why this is the case. When work is demanding and recovery poor, persistent stress begins to distort our view of ourselves, our patients, and our working world. Empathic doctors are safer, more effective and happier in their work, yet empathy fades as stress levels rise and this fuels the journey into ‘burnout’.
Read the full Scientific & Medical Network article
Mental Health at Christmas: Some Tips for Coping
Christmas can be an isolating time for everyone, and it’s okay to prioritize yourself in a time of giving. The Christmas and New Year might seriously affect mental health, the pressure and expectations can be grave, which is why coping strategies are as important as ever. Below, we have showcased our latest infographic offering, this time with a seasonal theme, i.e., that of Christmas. This infographic aims to visually present the scale of negative mental health issues faced by some people in the UK during this time of year, together with common reasons why people may be negatively impacted by Christmas. Lastly, the infographic offers some useful tips to help alleviate the situation.
Read the full rehab4addiction Article
Nutritional News
Good or bad? Top cardiologist gives verdict on chocolate, coffee and wine
Dark chocolate is a “joy” when it comes to keeping your heart healthy, coffee is likely protective, but wine is at best “neutral”, according to one of the world’s leading cardiologists. As editor of the European Heart Journal for more than a decade, Prof Thomas Lüscher led a team that sifted through 3,200 manuscripts from scientists and doctors every year. Only a fraction – those deemed “truly novel” and backed up with “solid data” – would be selected for publication. After stepping down from his role in charge of the world’s top cardiovascular medicine journal, Lüscher has given his verdict on one of the most frequently asked heart health research questions: are wine, chocolate and coffee good or bad for you?
Click here to read the full Guardian Article
WHO accelerates work on nutrition targets with new commitments
COVID-19 and climate change have exacerbated malnutrition in all its forms and threatened the sustainability and resilience of food systems around the world. At the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Tokyo on 7 – 8 December 2021, the World Health Organization has announced six new commitments to accelerate progress on the 2025 nutrition targets which have been pushed even further off course during the pandemic. Today, one third of all people around the world are affected by at least one form of malnutrition. Over 40% of all men and women (2.2 billion people) are now overweight or obese. While unhealthy diets are linked to at least 8 million deaths per year.
Chinese Medicine and Female Infertility – A Case Study
Chinese herbal medicine treatment on female infertility with high FSH
High FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is one of many frustrating reasons which can lead to female infertility. Unfortunately what modern medicine can do is limited. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is used as a main treatment method. It helps to regulate menstruation and relieve some of the symptoms, however, this treatment does not necessarily improve poor ovarian reserves. The artificial oestrogen sends signals to the brain that it doesn’t need to stimulate the ovaries to produce oestrogen, which in turn causes a hormonal imbalance. Meanwhile, there are shortcomings of HRT, such as many side effectives, limited indications and many relative contraindications. The original problem is quick to recur after stopping the medicine, and there is a potential risk of cancer.
Read the full Herbal Reality Article
To see lots more exciting news and evidence go to www.health-e-learning.org.uk and see the health-e-information platform.
Researcher – Sophie Daniel, Health and Wellbeing Trust
Images bought from iStock Getty images – https://www.istockphoto.com